MAM
Content India 2026 set to gather global media heavyweights in Mumbai
Dish TV and C21Media summit to spotlight commissioning, AI and global partnerships in India’s booming content industry
MUMBAI: Content India 2026 is gearing up to bring the country’s media powerbrokers under one roof. The three-day summit, organised by Dish TV India in partnership with C21Media, will run from March 16 to 18 at Taj Lands’ End, positioning itself as a high-octane meeting ground for broadcasters, streamers, studios and digital-first companies shaping the next phase of India’s entertainment economy.
The event aims to capture the accelerating global momentum around Indian content, bringing together industry leaders from across India and overseas to debate trends, forge partnerships and examine the future of the entertainment ecosystem.
Manoj Dobhal, ceo and executive director of Dish TV India, said the industry has reached a crucial inflection point. “Indian content has reached a pivotal point in the global market. As creators, platforms and studios focus on building stronger intellectual properties and forming international partnerships, the need for in-depth, results-driven dialogues is more crucial than ever. Content India 2026 will unite these voices to chart the next phase of the industry’s growth.”
Over three days, the summit will dive into commissioning strategies, production trends, monetisation models, cross-border collaborations, technology shifts and the growing importance of intellectual property in global entertainment.
A flagship session titled “State of the Indian Entertainment Nation” will explore the challenges and opportunities reshaping the content landscape. Speakers include Shilangi Mukherji, director and head of svod business at Prime Video; Anuj Gandhi, chief business officer for digital entertainment services at Reliance Jio; Deepak Dhar, founder and group ceo of Banijay Asia and Endemol Shine Asia; and Ashish Sehgal, ceo of Times TV Network.
Another highlight is the “Content India Co-Pro Pitch”, where early-stage scripted and unscripted projects seeking global partners will be showcased. Two winning projects—one scripted and one unscripted—will receive a £10,000 marketing prize. The judging panel includes Frank Spotnitz, ceo and founder of Big Light Productions; Fiona Campbell, director of factual at BBC Content; Rashmi Bajpai, evp Asia at Banijay Rights; Bal Samra, chairman of Big Deal Films; and Rachel Glaister, evp international brands and press at All3Media International.
Commissioning strategies will also come under scrutiny in a session examining what Indian buyers want from new content. Speakers include Sahira Nair, head of Hindi scripted series at Prime Video India; Rajaraman Sundaram, chief content officer south at Sony Pictures Networks India; Sai Abishek, head of factual entertainment at Warner Bros. Discovery South Asia; and Vishnu Mohta, co-founder of Hoichoi.
Production veterans will also dissect the mechanics of getting shows made and funded, with insights from Sunder Aaron, managing partner at Locomotive Global; Parveen Dusanj-Bedi, founder and md of CreativeNation; Roopak Saluja, founder of BANG BANG TV; Tarun Sawhney, president apac at ShortsTV; and filmmaker Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury.
Technology, particularly generative AI, will also dominate discussions. A dedicated panel on using AI to supercharge content creation will feature Dipankar Mukherjee, ceo and co-founder of Studio Blo; Prateek Arora, vp of development at BANG BANG TV; Anshul Vikram Pandey, founder and chairman of PanScience Group; Saiteja Alampally, founder and ceo of One Immersive; and Vipul Agrawal, founder and ceo of Mugafi.
The summit will also feature a fireside chat with Sameer Nair, managing director of Applause Entertainment, focusing on the evolution of Indian storytelling, intellectual property and AI-driven production.
Ashish Sehgal said the gathering arrives at a critical moment for the sector. “Content remains the core currency of our industry, and as discovery, distribution and monetisation evolve rapidly, the real opportunity lies in forging stronger partnerships and scalable models that power the next phase of India’s content growth.”
Anuj Gandhi echoed the sentiment. “Content India 2026 comes at a pivotal moment for our industry. As content creation, distribution and consumption evolve at scale, platforms like this play a critical role in aligning the ecosystem, encouraging collaboration and unlocking the next wave of growth in India’s content economy.”
With decision-makers, creators and investors converging in Mumbai, Content India 2026 is positioning itself as more than a conference. It aims to be a deal-making arena where ideas collide, partnerships form and the next chapter of India’s global entertainment rise begins to take shape.
MAM
10 years of UPI: India’s payments system hits 21.7 billion transactions a month
From queues to QR codes, digital push drives inclusion and real-time ease
NEW DELHI: India’s digital payments story has come a long way from queues at bank counters to instant QR code scans, with the Unified Payments Interface now processing a staggering 21.7 billion transactions in a single month, underlining its position as the world’s leading real-time payments system.
Not too long ago, routine transactions meant paperwork, waiting periods and, for many, complete exclusion from the formal financial system. Today, that landscape has been fundamentally reshaped by a digital ecosystem built on scale, simplicity and accessibility.
The shift gained momentum in the early 2000s when the Reserve Bank of India introduced systems such as RTGS and IMPS. While these laid the groundwork for faster payments, their reach remained limited to those already within the banking fold.
A decisive breakthrough came with the JAM trinity, combining the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhaar and widespread mobile connectivity. This framework expanded financial access, enabled direct benefit transfers and familiarised millions with digital transactions.
“The JAM Trinity catapulted our banking to a different level altogether,” said Nirmala Sitharaman, highlighting its transformative impact.
Launched in 2016 by the National Payments Corporation of India, UPI simplified money transfers by removing the need for complex bank details. With just a mobile number or UPI ID, users can send and receive money instantly, round the clock.
Its scale has expanded rapidly, with participating banks growing from just over 200 in 2021 to nearly 700 by early 2026. Today, UPI accounts for 81 percent of India’s retail digital transactions and nearly half of global real-time payment volumes, according to global institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
Beyond convenience, the platform has driven deeper financial inclusion. From street vendors and autorickshaw drivers to rural traders and domestic workers, millions now participate in the formal economy through instant, low-cost transactions. The system has also opened doors to credit, insurance and savings products for previously underserved segments.
New features such as UPI Lite, AutoPay and credit integration are further expanding its scope, turning it into a broader financial platform rather than just a payments tool. At the same time, enhanced security measures like two-factor authentication have strengthened user trust and reduced fraud risks.
India’s payments innovation is also gaining global traction, with UPI-linked systems now operational in multiple countries, enabling seamless cross-border transactions and boosting remittances.
What began as a solution for financial inclusion has evolved into a global benchmark for digital payments. As India continues to move from queues to QR codes, UPI stands as a powerful example of how technology can simplify everyday life while driving economic participation at scale.
